f hulbert



E. F HULBERT. l x CAN CLOSURE. l"

A'BPL-xcATmN -FILED Amis/,19117.

Patented Gut. 2l, 1919.

ffy?- I l Ff'yi zo muuu E.` F. HULBERT.

CAN CLOSURE.

'APPUcATloN FILED MAY19.1911.

I l wlTN ESSES y WMF/w 014/ UNITED STATES .I ATENT oit-Fien EDWIN n. HULBERT, -or MILWAUKEE, wIscoNsIN, AssIGNon. rp NATIQNAI. PAPER CAN COMPANY, 0F MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, A. CORPORATION 0F DELAWARE..

CAN-cnosuaia `Speciiication of Letters Patent. Patented Oct. 21,' 1.919.

Continuation in part of application Serial No. 834,362, filed April 25, 1914. This application led May 19, v

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWIN F. HULBERT, a citizen of the United States, residing -at Milwaukee, Milwaukee county, Wisconsin, have invented a new and useful Improvementin Can-Closures, of which the`followin is a full, clear, and exact description, re erence being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this speclfication, in which Figure 1 is a viewpartly in vcross section showing the die operating to place the cap in the can body; Fig. 2 is a View forming the bead;

f', Fig. 3 is a view partly in .Vertical Sectlon showing the next operation the edge of the can body;

Fig. 4 is a view partly in vertical section Showingthe subsequent operation of rolling overthe-.iange and can body g. and

Figs.' 5, .6; and 7 are diagrammatic views illustrating the form in which the seam may be pressed.

Theypresent invention relates to v'can closures l and the method and apparatus for of turning over making them ;l and more particularly to Vclosing a can by placing therein a flanged cap and rolling over the edge of the can and iiange to form a locking seam and supporting the can without Aengaging its inside. The method and apparatus have particular reference to forming closures of paper cans. These paper cansare now used for holding substances which it is desired to hermetically seal. To do this, the materials are first As shown 1n Fig. 1, the cap 2 is first punched out of the sheet .by means of a blank punch 5, operating'against a hlanlnn die 6, which cuts out the circular cap-b ank.A

Then the drawing die or vplunger-" 4 draws this blank through 'the blankin'g die into partly in vertical section' showing the operation of the expanding die' 'inge ge the body'portion enga-ges the edge o the projecting which enga theucan against endwise pressure. Another` 110 1917. Serial No. 169,657.

the flanged shape shown in the drawings. The flanged cap 2 is end of the can body' until the edge of the open end of the can body, leaving the end or edgeI of the can body projecting beyond the ange, as indicated at 7 in Fig. 2. The base of the cap -flangeand can bod aretheii forced outwardly to forma beady 8. This bead 8 serves to support the can against the endwise pressure of the seam-forming operation. Fig.v 2. A die 10 having an inwardly opening lroove 11 ts around the outside of the can ody. An expanding die `12 is placed within the iiange. The die 12 has'a toe 13, which forces out the base of the flange 14,

together with the registering portion of the can body, t o form the bead 8. The expanding die 12 v1s preferably formed with a number of flange 14 with a series of indentations. In drawing the cap from a flat blank lof paper, the .excess paper is folded and compressed into the flange, thickeningand makin it resist-the inwardrolling of the iange. p'lhe indentations scorethe fiber of the flange making it limp and facilitating the inward rolling or banding. of the flange, subsequently described. f

The next operation is formingthe closure seam. The end of the projecting edge of the can body is rolled inward and upon itself,

`as shown in FigQB, by means of a die 20,

pushed into the open f `Harige is positioned some distance within the The bead 8l is formed as shownV in scoring teeth 15, 'which` Score the which moves endwise against the edge of` the body. The die 20 has an Aannular curved face .21, engaging and rolling over the rojectin edge of the can body.A This pro]ect-4 l form. a rolled-over .portion :consistat least, one complete turn-of the before 1t engages the edge ofthe cap capange, the rollingl the body portion: an viange being; rolled of the can body is rolled over upon action is continued,

over around the previously rolled-over edgev y of the body portion, which acts as va mandre] or. core. This is show.' n' 1 Fig. 4. After edge of the body portion is rolled ,ove1 ,-as shown in Fig. 3, another expanding die is insertedV having a toe 25', ges in the bead 11 and supports die 26 having a curved face 27, is moved downward against thepartially rolled edge shown in Fig. 3, completing the closure, as shown in Fig. 4. rolled-over edge 28 of the can body is turned over, the edge of the flange being pinched or gripped by it. During the subsequent rolling operation, as shown in Fig. 4, this previously rolled-over portion 28 serves as a mandrel, compelling the edge of the cap to be rolled or turned into a scroll-like seam. The edge of the flange of the cap has an eX- cess of' paper in it, due to forming the flange from a flat disk. This pinching end mandrel-like rolling action of the previously rolled-over portion 28 insures that this thickened cap flange is properly rolled over with the body Wall to form a tight rolled closure seam.

After the seam is formed, as shown in Fig. 4, it may be left in the shape therein shown, or it may be pressed into various shapes by the subsequent action of forming dies. In Figs. 5, 6 and 7, are indicated diagrammatically in cross section the shapes vin which the rolled over seam may be pressed, no attempt being made in these diagrammatic vfigures to show the layers of the paper.

The term, paper, as used in this specification and in the claims is intended asa a Word of description and not of limitation, and is intended as a generic term to include such kinds of papers or paper-like substances, as cardboard, fiber board, or other fibrous sheets having the same'general characteristics as paper. The present method and apparatus for closing the can is particularly applicable to the closure of paper cans, which are first filled with the materials and afterward both ends of a vpaper can With rolled cl-os- Y sealed. As shown in Fig. 4, the can is filled With some material 80, and the closure is applied Without engaging the inside of the can. The can is supported 'against the endvvise thrust of the seam-rolling tools by means of the grip between the toe of the expanding die and the registering groove of the die surrounding the can body. In this Way, a paper can having a Weak paper Wall can be hermetically sealed at both ends Without subjecting the Walls of the can body to endvvise pressure.

While it is preferred -to use the'apparatus and method herein described for closing ure seams, it is to be understood that the article produced, particularly as defined in the broader article claims, might 'be produced by other mechanisms and methods, for example, such as is disclosed in niyv copending application Serial-No. 834,362.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention has -been specifically illustrated l and described, it is to be understood that As shown in Fig. 3, the` 1. A can having a lflanged cap, and a rolled closure seam consisting of a core formed of 4the edge of the can body rolled over on vitself and surrounded by rolled portions of the cap flange and can body, substantially as described.

2. A can having a flanged cap, a rolled closure seam consisting of a core formed of the edge of the can body rolled over on itself and surrounded by rolled portions of the cap flange. and can body, yand abead on the can body adjacent the closure seam, substantially as described.

3. The method of closing a can, consisting in placing a flanged cap Within the can body With the endof the can' Wall projecting beyond the flangeofthe cap, rolling over the projecting edge of the body upon itself until it engages the edge of the flange, thereby forming, such rolled over edge into a core and then rolling over both the flange and body around such core to form a locking seam, substantially as described.

4. The method of closing a can, consisting in placing a flanged cap Within a can body With the edge of the body projecting beyond the edge of the ange, rolling over the projecting edge of the body upon itself until it engages the edge of the flange, and then rolling over 'both the flange and body to form a locking seam, the rolled-over edge` of the body serving as a core or mandrel upon which the flange and body are subsequently Wound, substantially as described.

5. The method of closing a can, consisting in placing a flanged cap Within a can body vvvith the edge of the body projecting beyond the flange, forcing out a portion of the flange together with the .registering portion of the can body and forming thereby an outwardly extending beajd, rolling over the projecting edge of the body. thenrolling over both the flange and body by end'vvise pressure, thereby forming a locking seam, and supporting the can against such endWise pressure by means of the bead, substantially as described.

6. rlvhe method of closing a can, consisting in placing the flanged cap Within a can body with yond the flange, rolling over the projecting edge of the body upon itself to form a core,

the edge of the can body projecting be` and then rolling over both the flange and body around such core by endwise pressure to form a locking seam, and supporting the can against such endvvise pressure bymeans engaging the outer surfacel of the can in proximity to said seam, substantially as described.

7. The method of closing a can, consisting.

' opening groove,

in placing a flanged cap within a can body with the edge of the can body projecting beyond the flange, scoring the flange, rolling over the projecting ed e of.` the body upon itself until it engages t e edge of the flange, and then rolling over both the flange and body to form a locking seam, substantially as described. v

8. Apparatus for securing a flanged cap or closure to a can without engaging the inside of the can, comprising a die surrounding the can body and having an inwardly means for placing a flanged cap within the can body so that the edge of the can body projects beyond the flange of the cap, an expanding die fitting within the flanged ca and having a projection registering wit the groove and operating to force a portion of the flange and registering can body into the groove, thereby forming an outwardly extending bead on the can body, and means operating to first roll over the projecting edge of the body upon itself and until `it engages the edge of the flange and thereafter 'to roll over' both the flange 'andthe body to form a locking seam, the

outwardly extending bead engaging the groove in the first named die and serving to support the can during the seam-forming operation, substantially as described.

9. Apparatus for securing a flanged cap' or closure to a, can without engaging the inside of the can, comprising a die surrounding the can body and having an inwardly opening oove, means for placing a flanged cap within the can body so that'the edge of the can body projects beyond the flange of thecap, an expanding die fitting within the flanged cap and having a projection registering with the groove and operating to force a portion of the flange and registering can body into the groove, thereby forming an outwardly extending bead on the can body, a die movable endwise against the projecting edge of the can body and operating to roll it over on itself, another die movable endwise for subsequently engaging the rolled-over edge of the ating to roll over the flange and canbody to form a locking seam, the can being supported by its engagement with the groove against endwise pressure of. the last mentioned dies, substantially as described.

10. Apparatus for securing a flanged cap closure to a can without engaging the in- I side of the can, comprising means for placing a flanged cap within the can body so that the edge of the can body projects beyond the flange of the cap, means operating to first roll over the proj upon itself until it engages the edge ofthe flange thereby forming such rolled over edge into a core, and then to roll over both the flange and body around such core'to form a locking seam, and means engaging the outcan body and operecting edge of the body side of the can in proximity to said seam for supportin it against the thrust of the last mentione means, substantially as described.

11. .Apparatus for securing a flanged cap closure to a can, comp-rising means for placing a flanged cap within the body with the edge of the body projecting beyond the flange of the cap, first roll over the projecting edge of the body upon itself to form a core and subsequently to roll over both the flange and the body around such core to form a locking seam, substantially as described.

12. A can .of paper or the like material, having an open ended shell-like body portion and caps closing both ends of the body and means operating to locking rolled closure seams consisting of a .core formed of the edge of the can body rolled over on itself and surrounded by rolled portions of the cap and can body.

13. EA can of paperl or the like material, having an open ended shell like body portion and caps having outwardly extending flanges inserte in both ends of the portion and united therewith by locking seams extending beyond the faces of the caps and formed of the' edges of the cany body rolled over on itself and surrounded by rolled portions of the cap flanges and can body.

14.1. A can, having an open ended shelllike paper body portion and paper caps closing both ends ofA the body portion and united therewith by closure seams formed by the rolled together edges of the caps and body portion.

'15. A can, having an open ended shelllike paper body portion and paper caps inserted in -both ends of the body portion and united therewith by ermanent locking closure seams formed y the rolled together and compressed edges ofthe caps and body portion. V

16. A can, having an open endedshelv like paper body portion and paper caps having outwardly extending flanged edges nserted in both ends of the body portion andi` united therewith by permanent locking closure seams formed by the rolled together and compressed edges of the cap flanges and body portion.

17. A can, 'having an open ended shell-like paper body portlonand paper caps inserted A ,'Wardly, said closure seams having beads formed on the faces of the body portion.

19. The herein described method of sealing a can which consistsin permanently securin ende paper can body, lling the can with the material to be canned, placing a paper cap in the open end of the can body, and rolling together the paper edges of the cap and body to form a rolled closure seam.

20. The herein described method of seal# ing a can which consists in permanently securing an end closure at one end of an open ended shell-like paper can body, lilling the can With the materials to be canned, placing a flanged paper ca-p Within the open end of the can body, turning over .the paper edges of the cap -ilange and body by endwise pressure and thereby forming a permanent rolled closure' seam, and supporting the can against such en dwise pressure by engagement With the outside of the can only.

21. A can filled with material to be preserved having a paper body portion and..

having the closure Which is 'applied lafter the can is filled With the material, made of paper and united With the can body by means of a closure seam `formedby the an end closure atone end of an openv Ipled together edges' of the closure and 'can o y. ,c 22. A can filled'with material to be preserved having a paper 'body portion and having lthe closure which is applied after the can is filled with the material, made of paper united with the can body by mems of a closure seam formed by the rolled together and compressed edges of the closureand can body.

23. A can filled with material to'be preserved and having the edges ofI both the can body and the closure which is applied after the can is illed with the material,

m-ade of paper and so deformed as to unite -v them with .a lpermanent locking sea-m.

24. The herein ldescribed methodA of sealing a can which consists in permanently securing an end closure at one end of an open-ended paper can body, filling the can with the material to be canned, and thereafter placing a paper cap over the open end of the can body and so deforming the edges of both the cap and can body as to lock them together. A vIn testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

EDWIN F. HULBERT. 

